The Hillside
by reraimu
Summary: Kevin knew Kim was lying about Edward's supposed death. He decides to visit the castle on the hill to see for himself. Edward/Kevin. slash. yep.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: Kevin knows Kim is lying about Edward's supposed death. He decides to visit the castle on the hill to see for himself. Edward/Kevin. SLASH.**

**Tweekerz: OH FUCK ME. I have to slash EVERYTHING, don't I? Yes, yes I do. **

**For those of you who are wondering "wahh Kevin's too young!", things will change in later chapters. Perhaps time-skip wise, for the sake of the story. ʘ‿ʘ**

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><p>It had been a week since the terrible news of Edward's death.<p>

On that day, Peg, his mother, had sunk to the floor on her knees and cried, sobs tearing from her throat while his father paced about in the kitchen, hands behind his back. Kevin had stared at the empty expression on Kim's face as she excused herself, eyes distant and reserved, her once pristine white dress tarnished with dust and blood.

Kevin knew she was lying.

He could see it in the way her eyes shifted from side to side, the way her fingers clenched and unclenched, restless by her sides. She didn't even pause to look at him or ask him about his injuries, which any concerned sister would have done if she hadn't been so lost in her own turbulent thoughts. He watched her walk down the hallway as he nursed his scraped face. The cuts Edward had inflicted had still been bleeding at the time; however they had been shallow and not at all a cause for alarm. Thanks to his mother's quick thinking, the deepest of the cuts had been properly staunched and bandaged.

Back to the present.

Kevin was sitting in front of the TV, a bowl of popcorn nestled in his lap. Even though the TV was on and blaring one of his favorite shows, Kevin felt as if he couldn't concentrate on it. It was as if his eyes were seeing absolutely nothing; he didn't even bat an eyelash when one of his favorite characters did something particularly funny, something he should have laughed at without a moment's notice.

Kevin shoved the popcorn bowl away from him, fluffy bits of popcorn tumbling over the sides. He set his hands in his lap and stared listlessly at the TV. Subconsciously, his hand moved up to his face, his fingers tracing the raised scab that stretched across his right cheek. He then trailed his fingers over the scrape beneath it, shuddering as an image of that night several days prior flashed through his mind like a film strip.

Edward had pushed him out of harm's way and effectively prevented him from meeting a head-on collision. He couldn't get the man's worried and frenzied look out of his mind. It was as if it were permanently etched in his brain. Edward's eyes had been too wide; quivering with something akin to panic, an expression that didn't suit the man's face at all. The accidental nicks to his face had hurt; he remembered them stinging so painfully that all he could do was hiss out words like "stop" and "Edward", his grunts and groans of pain echoing about the empty street until Helen's shrewd voice rang out.

By that time, Kevin's mind had been in a haze and his mother and father had quickly scooped him up before Kevin even had the chance to mutter a thank you, because even though the neighbors thought Edward had been trying to hurt him, Kevin knew it wasn't so. And here he was, sulking the day away in front of the TV, not doing a thing about it. Through the course of the week, he had often wondered why no one bothered to see for themselves if Edward was dead or not, considering how nosey his neighbors were. Did Kim really think it was as simple as believing a few false words? What did she take him for, an idiot like the rest of them? He may be young, but he certainly wasn't an idiot.

Kevin abruptly stood up, not bothering to take the popcorn bowl with him. He was going to that mansion, castle—whatever it was. He didn't quite know how he was going to go about doing it, since school was tomorrow, but he'd find a way. If Edward was as dead as his sister claimed him to be, then the man deserved at least some kind of sincere goodbye, some kind of closure. Edward had only ever been kind, and everyone else, including himself, had taken advantage of that kindness. Kevin didn't know where this sudden bout of justice came from, but he didn't particularly care.

Tomorrow, he was playing hookey.

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><p><strong>Tweekerz: I know, really, really short, but I've decided that each chapter won't be that long anyway. Please leave a review! OuO<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: woahhh, so so so sorry for such a long wait! So many fandoms, so little time. **

**Happy reading!**

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><p>"Kevin, wait up man!"<p>

'_Crap.'_

Kevin cursed under his breath and reluctantly hit the breaks on his bike, his wheels gradually slowing down until he sat there idly waiting for Max to catch up. Kevin crossed his arms and leaned over the handle bars, propping his hand underneath his chin. He'd hoped he'd be able to escape his house relatively undetected, which was why he woke up forty minutes earlier than usual, but it seemed fate had something different in store for him. Sometimes it sucked having a best friend who lived just across the street.

When Max finally caught up on his own bike, Kevin took his fingers off the handle breaks and began to pedal, the two of them falling into a leisurely sync as they biked down the empty street. Even though they were very good friends, they usually never rode to school together, on account that Max liked to head to campus early, while Kevin liked to sleep in until the very last minute (which usually caused him to be late in the mornings, but he kept that a secret). A forged signature worked wonders concerning tardy slips.

"Did you do the homework?" Max asked. It had only been three days since school had started up again after a very unusual winter break, and already Max was slacking on his assignments, not to say that Kevin didn't either. Kevin shook his head and gave his friend a noncommittal shrug.

"Why are you up so early?" Max queried, slightly out of breath. It was cold this morning, and Kevin could see little white wisps of breath puffing from the other's lips. Kevin shivered and tugged his sweater tight around him with one hand—he should have worn a coat.

"I don't wanna' get another tardy," Kevin replied easily. It was a lie, but it was necessary. Kevin coasted his eyes about him, taking notice of how far they were going. He hadn't planned on meeting up with Max, so he'd have to think up of something quick in order to make a convincing departure. After all, his school was located opposite from that…castle-mansion, the one where Edward supposedly came from. He'd have to turn back around to complete his mission, but first he had to come up with a convincing fib.

"Crap. I forgot my English book," Kevin groaned, applying pressure on his brakes. Max slowed down with him, eventually halting all together, using his foot to prop his bike up.

"I'll wait," Max replied, leaning over the handlebars, brushing a few strands of black hair from his eyes. Kevin mentally groaned.

"Nah, you go ahead. I'm probably just gonna' stay in and eat some breakfast because I skipped it, the usual," Kevin explained. That was a lie; that was a full on blatant lie, because Kevin didn't give a crap if he got another tardy. He didn't even care if he way lying to his best friend. He had an errand to run, and dammit, he was going to make sure he accomplished it, even if he had to lie his way through it.

"You're gonna' be late again," Max wheezed, laughing as he straightened himself up. He then shrugged and shook his head. Good, it looked like Kevin's lie was taking effect. "Okay Kev, see ya' at school then."

Kevin fought the urge to grimace, because well…he wasn't exactly going to go to school either. Masking his expression, Kevin smiled and bumped fists with Max, before the other began pedaling away. Kevin watched as his friend's form grew smaller as he rode away, and eventually, the kid rounded a curve and was out of sight completely. Kevin let out a sigh of relief and slowly turned around. He pedaled at a leisurely pace, but as soon as his house came into view, he began pedaling as fast as his legs allowed. He wanted to pass his house without notice, and in order to do that, he'd have to pedal as if the devil were chasing him.

After passing his house and trying his damned best to ignore his now throbbing legs, there was a momentary sense of reprieve that flitted through him; however, he wasn't in the clear just yet. Unfortunately, his neighborhood was pretty meddlesome and any little thing that happened here was usually fodder for gossip, gossip, and more gossip. Since school was in a completely opposite direction, it'd be pretty strange of him to be biking anywhere else. If any of the housewives caught him, his mission would be compromised and he'd be mega-grounded for sure by his father.

However, he did have an advantage. At this time, all the husbands had already left for work, and most of the housewives were either too busy getting their own children ready for school, or sleeping in. It was perfect.

He continued biking down the street at a swift pace, the cold chill of the wind biting at his face and lacing through his hair. He really should have reconsidered his clothing options; if he had known it'd be this cold he would have hauled out his winter coat. Kevin picked his head up and peered out into the distance, his body undergoing a nervous tremor as his eyes anchored on the sloping blackened hill that seemed to stick straight up from the ground. At the hill's peak, Kevin could barely make out the dilapidated castle sitting on top, and even from his poor vantage point, he could already tell it was a withered old thing, the type of place someone would avoid at all costs. He wondered how his mother even mustered the courage to go up there by herself. That gave him even more motivation; if his mother could do it, so could he.

Kevin let some of the tension ease out of him when the cul-de-sac came into view. At this end, there weren't any houses surrounding the cul-de-sec, only dead grass and cracked pavement. He harshly pressed on his handle breaks, the wheels of his bike skidding to a halt. He quickly threw his legs over and hopped off his bike, holding it out next to him. He stared ahead.

The main gate at the base of the hill was completely gone, practically torn off its hinges. Kevin was amazed—a long time ago, when he was about six or seven, he and a couple of friends had been dared to venture to the crest of the hill. At that time, the gate had still been broken. He scanned his eyes around the premise, spotting the gate lying in a pile of leaves and dirt off to the side, forever lost to the creeping earth. He wondered why no one bothered to fix it. Wouldn't the castle's owner have repaired it by now? Was there anyone living in that place anyway? He had to admit, he didn't know much about Edward and his origins, actually it hadn't even dawned on him to ask; he had only learned the gist from his mother. He knew basic things, like how Edward had been alone when his mother had found him that day. Kevin didn't know if Edward had any close family or distant relatives either; his mother hadn't mentioned it anyway. Information like that was crucial to a person's existence, so why didn't anyone ever think to question Edward about it? Suddenly, Kevin felt terribly guilty. He hadn't bothered asking because he'd grown bored of Edward. Was he a horrible person, just like the rest of the neighborhood? Kevin frantically shook his head and began walking, slowly trailing his bike beside him.

No. He'd correct it. It felt as if something were clawing at his chest, begging him to do something—anything. With a shuddery sigh and one quick glance around him, Kevin stepped past the entrance, his bike at his side.

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><p>His shoes crunched over fallen leaves and branches, the occasional branch nicking his skin and clothes. By this time, he was already half way up the hill, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He clutched his bike's handle bars firmly, afraid that if he let go, he would surely topple over. He looked on ahead, eyeing the ghostly castle that stood only a little ways away. Staring at that place seemed to give him some kind of edge, and he willed himself to continue, ignoring the pain in his legs and chest.<p>

And then finally after some time, he reached its peak. Kevin halted and leaned forward on his bike, resting his forehead against the handle bars. He breathed in and out through his nose, letting the oxygen inflate his lungs. He then straightened himself and looked ahead, standing stock still as he came face to face with a giant wrought iron gate covered in coiling vines and undergrowth. Kevin gulped and continued forward, slowly wheeling his bike alongside him. He deposited the bike besides the gate and took a cautious step forward, pressing his chest against the rusty iron bars. He gripped one of the bars with one hand, while he used the other to shoo away the cascading vines and leaves that fell along the gate like a spidery veil. He could only conclude one thing: Edward definitely lived here.

Just beyond the gate was a vast, sweeping courtyard—a courtyard in full bloom, despite it still being winter. There were signs of Edward's presence all around the massive quad. Leafy green hedges trimmed to perfection dotted the courtyard, each hedge shaped into all sorts of incredible things. From giant hands to dinosaurs, everywhere Kevin looked, Edward's signature creations occupied every inch of space. Vivid pinks, reds, blues and yellows riddled the yard like splashes of paint, flower pedals twirling across the ground as the wind rushed by. Kevin took a step forward and traced his fingers along the iron bars that acted as a barrier between him and the courtyard. Subconsciously, he continued to lean forward, eyes transfixed on the courtyard, until….the gate pushed open.

Startled, Kevin caught his bearings and staggered back, staring at the gate incredulously. Was it really this easy to get in? All he had to do was push it open, right? Kevin wondered why the police hadn't bothered to seal the gate permanently. He figured it was something they ought to have done on account of there being a death at this very place. Steeling his resolve, Kevin gently pushed at the gate some more, an awful sounding creak emanating from the gate's hinges. As soon as he stepped past the gate's threshold, a flurry of wind enveloped him in a chilly embrace, bits of leaves and flower petals brushing around his feet as they scurried across the graveled ground.

With some expected hesitance, Kevin took a few measured steps forward, eyes scanning the thriving flora that dotted the expanse of the circular courtyard. He ran his fingers over a particular bush trimmed into the shape of heart, the pads of his fingers softly catching against bits of twig. He knew this was Edward's work. He just knew it. He had to be alive still—his sister had been lying. All of the hedges looked recently primped and trimmed, nary a leaf out of place. If Edward had been dead, the courtyard wouldn't look as immaculate as it did now.

Kevin continued to explore the courtyard, ever mindful of his steps. The ground was scattered with random patches of ice and powdered snow, and once or twice he nearly tripped and fell on his face simply because he had been too busy ogling the sights around him. When a sudden movement from up above caught Kevin's attention, he immediately snapped his head upward and anchored his eyes on the gaping and splintered whole in the roof of the mansion, taking in the sight of a broken window still framed with fragmented glass. It must be dreadfully cold in there, he guessed, stuffing his hands into his sweater pockets.

He had to get to that topmost floor. Kevin could feel this otherworldly pull at his chest drawing him towards that one part of the mansion.

Edward was there.

_He had to be._

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><p><strong>AN: Thank you for reading and sorry for being a giant douchesnozzle and not updating this until now! Forgive me!**


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